Half-Life 2

 PC
User Score
9.2

Universal acclaim- based on 12734 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11,541 out of 12734
  2. Mixed: 635 out of 12734
  3. Negative: 558 out of 12734
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  1. GamerOTYear
    Mar 15, 2015
    5
    remind me, why is this game so popular again? what does it do so well/uniquely that makes it one of the best games ever? frankly, this game is one of the most overrated games ever, not in the sense that it is bad, but in the sense that people say it is that good. it isnt. these games really dont' stand as their own franchise. i cant think of a single thing this game does better than anyremind me, why is this game so popular again? what does it do so well/uniquely that makes it one of the best games ever? frankly, this game is one of the most overrated games ever, not in the sense that it is bad, but in the sense that people say it is that good. it isnt. these games really dont' stand as their own franchise. i cant think of a single thing this game does better than any other game of its own genre. the level design is lame, the enemy AI is laughable, and it is hyped to oblivion.… Expand
  2. DarkMoonGaming
    Feb 19, 2015
    5
    Not so good that i expected. The game is boring in most of levels, they are repeating everything again. Chapters 3, 4, 6 ( and more i think) dont have story just doing the same thing. And others chapters are just cutscenes in first person. The only good thing about this game is story and gravity gun, but gameplay is just awful. And the worst part is chapter 6 (Ravenholm). God, this isNot so good that i expected. The game is boring in most of levels, they are repeating everything again. Chapters 3, 4, 6 ( and more i think) dont have story just doing the same thing. And others chapters are just cutscenes in first person. The only good thing about this game is story and gravity gun, but gameplay is just awful. And the worst part is chapter 6 (Ravenholm). God, this is worst level i saw in all my life. Very bad. Very bad. I could talk all day about this game fails. Portal was much, much better (TF2 also). I dont recommend spending a dollar on it. Better buy a pile of bricks! ( Sorry for bad english).… Expand
  3. Termin8ter
    Jan 11, 2018
    7
    Half-Life 2 disappointed me. Some sections of investment, or suspense, or fun. But these are outweighed by other sections of frustration or boredom, and commonly both. Breen is not a good villain. He seems boring and is not intimidating or clever, and does not say any memorable lines or speeches. The characters, voice acting, and gunplay is good, but they are bogged down by my otherHalf-Life 2 disappointed me. Some sections of investment, or suspense, or fun. But these are outweighed by other sections of frustration or boredom, and commonly both. Breen is not a good villain. He seems boring and is not intimidating or clever, and does not say any memorable lines or speeches. The characters, voice acting, and gunplay is good, but they are bogged down by my other complaints in this game. If you like it, fine, but I don't. And that was why.… Expand
  4. astuka
    May 19, 2015
    7
    Pros:
    + incredible pacing/level design
    + well thought out world
    + solid controls
    Cons:
    - lack of soundtrack
    - lackluster story

    Final score: 7/10, 3/5
  5. Nel
    Dec 1, 2016
    7
    Played this game when it came out, and I was surely impressed by how it changed the gaming world. THe game itself is a great first person shooting game that is still today consider to be one of the better games ever made.
  6. Chocice
    Nov 12, 2015
    7
    I do not enjoy this game that much but i do understand how people do enjoy it.
    I think it is overated but is by no means a bad game.
    Overall a pretty good game
  7. FromKanga
    Jul 16, 2017
    7
    Half-life 2 is overrated in my opinion but I have to point out that I have no nostalgic feelings towards this game so that's probably why I don't think that this game is as good as everyone says it is and I don't think the game has aged very well.

    The story was interesting but I never felt invested, Alyx was an interesting character but I wish I saw more of the other characters to make    Half-life 2 is overrated in my opinion but I have to point out that I have no nostalgic feelings towards this game so that's probably why I don't think that this game is as good as everyone says it is and I don't think the game has aged very well.

    The story was interesting but I never felt invested, Alyx was an interesting character but I wish I saw more of the other characters to make me care about the world around me, the villain was a bore and had a pretty weak motivation and the ending was really anti-climatic (I know I have to play episode 1 and 2).
    There are some highlights, the more scripted parts where the characters interact with one another was the most interesting part about the game but I wish I got more of that.

    The gameplay was fun but it did have flaws, the level design was smart and well done and weapons like the gravity gun are fun to use...but most of the other weapons are generic and boring making the game sometimes repetitive and the driving sections are atrocious.

    I'm really conflicted, the game was really innovative for it's time, it has great voice acting (most of the time), the graphics aren't great now but this game came out in 2004 so it's impressive that they still look pretty good and some weapons are great and fun to use.
    But I played this game in 2017 and now there are just much better games in what hal-life 2 tries to accomplish, I do recommend it but I respect this game more than I like it.    … Expand
  8. wpatri04
    Mar 13, 2017
    6
    I am reviewing this game based on TODAY'S standards, and the date today is March 13, 2017. This is almost thirteen years from its release, and since those reading the reviews on here are likely those seeing if it is worth playing today, I will base it as if it came out today.
    Half Life 2 is a game that goes on, and on, and on...and on. It's extremely rare that a game does that while    I am reviewing this game based on TODAY'S standards, and the date today is March 13, 2017. This is almost thirteen years from its release, and since those reading the reviews on here are likely those seeing if it is worth playing today, I will base it as if it came out today.
    Half Life 2 is a game that goes on, and on, and on...and on. It's extremely rare that a game does that while avoiding repetition. One game that comes to mind that did this successfully is Resident Evil 4. I'm afraid to say Half Life 2 is no Resident Evil 4. Half Life 2 struggles to keep itself interesting after the first chapter. The game begins in a train station, in an Orwellian type world with guards, and it is immersive realistic and atmospheric. It was the best start-off to a game I've ever played. But it went downhill fast. The guns are very standard and basic, most are very boring. And there's no variety. All the handguns feel the same, the machine guns are very basic and offer an alternate firing weapon (one a grenade and the other a ricocheting energy orb) and there's one shotgun. The big draw of the game for many was the Gravity Gun, which utilizes a revolutionary (at the time) physics engine. You can gravitate large barrels or pieces of wood or, well anything you can find really, no matter how heavy, and launch at your enemies. You will use it to solve puzzles. I would recommend looking at at YouTube video at this gun in action. But, no matter how cool a gun is, if the gameplay is boring, then everything else gets affected, no matter great or innovative.
    Half Life 2 is LONG, and thus variety should have been used to keep things interesting. Well, with little variety used, it isn't interesting. The story isn't interesting. The weapons aren't interesting. The combat is the most repetitive I've ever played, and it seems to never end. There are stages where you will ride a hover boat and a buggy car, but even those dragged on too long. I would have preferred Half Life 2 rely more on puzzles and story than its shooting, but Half Life 2 IS a shooter after all, first and foremost.
    The sound design is very precise. Atmospheric music will be cued at really mind-hitting times to really drive the immersion. It was quite well done, but I would have preferred to have had music all the way through out like in 007 Goldeneye. It would have helped the boringness of the game.
    All in all, this is an important game. It's a game everyone should play just to experience what was hailed at the time as a technological achievement. This game has and will remain in the video game history books as deeply significant, iconic, and necessary. Just don't expect to have a blast playing it in today's modern game world. While today's gaming isn't better, it does force classic games to show their age, and in this case it was bad.    … Expand
  9. j1182567
    Jul 26, 2017
    7
    Not as good as the first but still worth playing. It's just a big dumb tech demo at it's core but it still has some really fun moments especially for when it came out.
  10. danield80
    Jul 28, 2020
    7
    Probably the most famous game of 2000's turned out for me to be a generic fps.
    Play the same fights and bossfights with boring guns in uninspired maps. The graphics are the best for 2004 but at the same time there's something odd with it.
    At least the characters are good. Eli, Kleiner, Barney and especially Alyx. Only the protagonist is kind of absent. But combined with repetitive gameplay    Probably the most famous game of 2000's turned out for me to be a generic fps.
    Play the same fights and bossfights with boring guns in uninspired maps. The graphics are the best for 2004 but at the same time there's something odd with it.
    At least the characters are good. Eli, Kleiner, Barney and especially Alyx. Only the protagonist is kind of absent.
    But combined with repetitive gameplay and dull level design (which is not even as half as good as HL1 design), it's not a very memorable experience.    … Expand
  11. RazorSamurai
    Jan 17, 2019
    7
    Хехе, как я и говорил, обещал что пройду всю серию и я это сделал. Знаете когда я играл в гмоде во всякие хлрп сервера и прошел первую халву я думал что первая часть будет что-то с чем то. Ну я и прошел, ожидания конечно были велики но в принципе игра неплохая, она не идеальна но хороша. Для 2004 ого года наверное графика халвы была революционной и сам движок с физикой. НО проблема в томХехе, как я и говорил, обещал что пройду всю серию и я это сделал. Знаете когда я играл в гмоде во всякие хлрп сервера и прошел первую халву я думал что первая часть будет что-то с чем то. Ну я и прошел, ожидания конечно были велики но в принципе игра неплохая, она не идеальна но хороша. Для 2004 ого года наверное графика халвы была революционной и сам движок с физикой. НО проблема в том что это история о палке с двумя концами. Типа физика дает возможность по сэндбоксить с предметами но иногда она так дико багуется или нефизично себя ведет что хочется блевать. Стрельба в этой игре приятна, когда хуячишь гоошников с дробовика, когда с расстояния стреляешь с магнума, это доставляет дикое удовольствие. Мне во второй халве больше нравится сеттинг, порабощенная инопланетными существами земля, тоталитарный режим, что может быть лучше? Дизайн гоошников просто замечательный, идеальный сеттинг. Но проблема в том что лор уебищный, джимен рандомный чел, концовку в эпизодах слили, полная дичь. Геймплей заебывающий, идешь и идешь идешь и идешь, спасибо хоть то что иногда есть разнообразие в плане всяких "сложных" головоломок и покатушек.
    Первая часть намного лучше. Теперь речь пойдет о эпизодах. Не знаю почему но эпизоды ощущаются пободрее, скорее всего из-за того что там чуток поменяли движок и она ощущается по другому, графика кстати тоже поменялась. Но там больше разнообразия в плане геймплея. Поэтому эпизоды намного лучше оригинала. Но концовку реально слили, взяли рандомных личинок наспавнили и низахуя убили дедушку, идите нахуй.    … Expand
  12. Pxel_Dennis
    Dec 27, 2020
    7
    A linear shooting game, looks like it could have a good plot and lore but it never seems to go deep inside it.
  13. Gabzguy
    Dec 29, 2020
    7
    Joguei HL2 depois de zerar DOOM ETERNAL e HL, e acabei me decepcionando com o game. Uma física e aspectos técnicos excepcionais, um bom roteiro, entretanto o jogo me desagradou bastante por desconsiderar muitos dos aspectos que tornaram HL tão especial e único, causando um ar de um FPS em horas ,até bem genérico, tirando tudo que fazia HL especial, as armas, cenários, inimigos. HL2 lembraJoguei HL2 depois de zerar DOOM ETERNAL e HL, e acabei me decepcionando com o game. Uma física e aspectos técnicos excepcionais, um bom roteiro, entretanto o jogo me desagradou bastante por desconsiderar muitos dos aspectos que tornaram HL tão especial e único, causando um ar de um FPS em horas ,até bem genérico, tirando tudo que fazia HL especial, as armas, cenários, inimigos. HL2 lembra em momentos mais Halo ou CoD do que seu antecessor.… Expand
  14. Koleck0LP
    Oct 1, 2020
    7
    You'll hear everywhere that Half-Life 2 is a must play game, and that's why I bough the HL2, EP1 and EP2 on steam, This game was so hard to finish, I don't mean hard in difficulty but in motivation to play it.
    This games get's really boring at times. I don't mean to hate on it but it's not as good as people make it out to be.
  15. vova22379
    Feb 25, 2023
    5
    ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
  16. JONY28
    May 26, 2022
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. omgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgogmgongigngjgngjgbdhbshavahabahshushsjzhdhdj… Expand
  17. JulianM.
    Jun 20, 2007
    7
    Well.... 96%?? Excuse me? Maybe it's graphically good and has good physical engine. But remember- it appeared in November. And what appeared in march the same year? Far Cry. And it got only 89 %, while it's much better better than HL2 and makes it look funny.
  18. AndrewM.
    Jan 4, 2010
    7
    A good FPS game that is fun, but its creative effort can't compete with the previous game.
  19. Jon
    Jan 1, 2005
    7
    While playing through this game I kept waiting for the awesome moments I had been hearing about for the past month from my friends. Driving under the docks and knocking out the supports, Ravenholm being scarier than Doom 3, the GG being able to pick up anything and hurtling it... etc. The fact is I played this game and didn't feel that electricity and near ecstacy that other people While playing through this game I kept waiting for the awesome moments I had been hearing about for the past month from my friends. Driving under the docks and knocking out the supports, Ravenholm being scarier than Doom 3, the GG being able to pick up anything and hurtling it... etc. The fact is I played this game and didn't feel that electricity and near ecstacy that other people felt. For most of the game I felt like I was being advertised to for this great new engine Valve has created. Instead of "OMG THAT WAS AN AWESOME MOMENT!" it was "alright- i solved your puzzle using your engine... now what?" The most fantastic moments I had during this game had nothing to do with the engine. Commanding a group of aliens and attacking a Combine base, throwing a grenade behind a wall and watching bodies go flying just before whipping out my shotgun and blasting my way through a group of enemies. Half Life 2 does nothing new in the genre- it is simply an improvement on the physics games like UT2k4 have given us while giving us some awesome action. This is definitely not the "end all" that gamers were promised, but somehow the PC hype machine managed to make it so. Summary: HL2 is a very fun game that doesn't do anything new and markets a physics engine to other developers.… Expand
  20. AlexH.
    May 7, 2007
    7
    The game was quite sweet, but I think they could have made more out of it... When I play, I don't feel like Gordon nor I am really depressed of the atmosphere... (...and I guess I actually should be ;) )
  21. B'chandrasekarB.
    Aug 4, 2007
    7
    the game has high quality but the game play isent as great as they say it is . Still it is one of the top games out there
  22. SteveJ.
    Jan 19, 2005
    7
    The Steam set up is so annoying for anyone on a modem that I'll never buy another Valve/Steam product again. For the game, if you're lucky enough to get it running, it is beautifully done as far as the environment goes. The gameplay is fun and the graphics are the best out there, except for Far Cry. (Make sure you have a fast GPU) I found the game to work well and to be The Steam set up is so annoying for anyone on a modem that I'll never buy another Valve/Steam product again. For the game, if you're lucky enough to get it running, it is beautifully done as far as the environment goes. The gameplay is fun and the graphics are the best out there, except for Far Cry. (Make sure you have a fast GPU) I found the game to work well and to be enjoyable. The story line was good too. Overall I enjoyed this game, but feel the overhyped accolades by most review sites are caused by their fear of not fitting in. The game falls flat on the absolute linearity of the gameplay. There's only one way to go. It is so well done that I didn't mind it for the most part, but there is really no ingenuity involved to play the game. You just slog from one sequence to another. Still a pretty good game that would be much better without Steam.… Expand
  23. JaneDoe
    Jan 9, 2005
    7
    Overrated. Can't compare with Far Cry, Deus Ex, Call of Duty, or Medal of Honor.
  24. JoeD.
    Jun 27, 2005
    7
    I don't know why people are so enamoured with this game. It definitely is not worth 10. Why? Far too linear. There is hardly any reply value. The game isn't that much different to Doom 3 gameplay wise. Just has better scripted events, more varied enemies and slightly better AI. Why couldn't Valve spend more of their time developing superior AI? The enemy AI is below average I don't know why people are so enamoured with this game. It definitely is not worth 10. Why? Far too linear. There is hardly any reply value. The game isn't that much different to Doom 3 gameplay wise. Just has better scripted events, more varied enemies and slightly better AI. Why couldn't Valve spend more of their time developing superior AI? The enemy AI is below average at best, no where near as smart as the AI in Halo 1/2 or Far Cry. The graphics are great, although Doom 3 still looks better. The story needed more work, it's still all too shrouded. WIth games as linear as this the story has to be very strong, and it's just too weak and vague here. Real shame, this could have been outstanding, especially with the engine used. The whole experience, even despite some very memorable moments, was for me a little empty once i'd completed the game.… Expand
  25. BobI.
    Aug 1, 2005
    7
    The game is great but it is confusing at times given so little company support. I purchased the game from CompUSA and it came with no manual and a very small player Quick Reference Card. What makes it a great game is the depth of environmental control the player has. You do a lot more than shoot the enemy. You must use your environment to get out of predicaments. Whether it be using The game is great but it is confusing at times given so little company support. I purchased the game from CompUSA and it came with no manual and a very small player Quick Reference Card. What makes it a great game is the depth of environmental control the player has. You do a lot more than shoot the enemy. You must use your environment to get out of predicaments. Whether it be using gravity and pullies to get a ramp to move into place or operating a crane to move your vehicle, there are a variety of problems that go far beyond the shoot-em up experience. Graphics are excellent and play is not bad even on my mid-level system according to game recommendations. The story line is not always clear or even presented in depth but it is there. Battles get intense and require numerous re-loads that are slow at times. The use of Internet connectivity is not clear or explained so installing this on your computer and then registering leaves one feeling anxious about what goes on in the background both when playing and when not playing. As I said before support is weak from my experience. I sent an email to support asking some of these questions and received no reply.… Expand
  26. AW
    Nov 16, 2006
    7
    This game had breakthrough physics, and it was awesome watching the guys collapse or get tossed around like dolls. The gravity gun was a unique weapon and really drew away from mainstream guns put in games today. However, this game also failed in a lot of aspects. While the potential and hype was driven up after years of suspense and waiting, the game just did not deliver. Though it kept This game had breakthrough physics, and it was awesome watching the guys collapse or get tossed around like dolls. The gravity gun was a unique weapon and really drew away from mainstream guns put in games today. However, this game also failed in a lot of aspects. While the potential and hype was driven up after years of suspense and waiting, the game just did not deliver. Though it kept my attention long enough to finish the game, I just was not impressed by it. The levels were pretty cool, though the city did get a little old after a while. The haunted city was probably the best atmosphere created in the game. But here's the biggest kicker: The weapons SUCKED. Yes, though the grav gun was unique, I ended up not using it for much of the game, because there aren't always objects to pick up and launch at people. Instead, you are stuck with a bunch of the same boring weapons as the first game - WITHOUT the aliens weapons. The only new gun I can remember besides the grav gun is the other combat rifle that also has a powerful (but generally unused) secondary fire. The random bullet pathing did not make it any better as you often waste a lot of bullets firing any of the smg/rifles from a distance any other than what you'd call short (which is a lot of the game). The boring weapons combined with a so-so story line was not exhilirating in my book. Top it off with the same gameplay as the first game, and you've got HL2 - which had the potential to be so much more.… Expand
  27. RossH.
    May 6, 2006
    7
    Thought the graphics and physics were incredable for a game. However, i dont think valve worked hard enough on the gameplay and storyline such as on hl1, every level was something interesting. hl2 is to predictable in most cases.
  28. Jag
    May 2, 2008
    7
    Half Life 2 is an FPS that is announced by many magazines as ''Greatest game ever made''. Personally I think that is had well balanced gameplay. You can run and gun but its not recommended. Its always good to take cover but not all the time. I've heard some talk about the A.I being so good but it really didn't seem like anything real special. The combat zones Half Life 2 is an FPS that is announced by many magazines as ''Greatest game ever made''. Personally I think that is had well balanced gameplay. You can run and gun but its not recommended. Its always good to take cover but not all the time. I've heard some talk about the A.I being so good but it really didn't seem like anything real special. The combat zones were kind of limited so enemies would come out and shoot and maybe grab some cover in the process. Normally you will kill them before you see them doing something truly eye catching. The A.I isn't bad its just not amazingly impressive. The graphics are great. Reflections on the floor move as you do and texters are high rez. Character modles may not be impressive at first but if you take the time to see the lip synchronization and facial expressions. Characters are great and well developed. One of the icons of Half-Life 2 is the gravity gun. This unique weapon lets you pick up any object man sized and under and fling it at enemies. A but what would this weapon be without wicked good physics? These physics are very good. every thing not bolted down can move with the proper amount of force applied to it. However the only thing bad that came out of these physics is the puzzles you will encounter throughout the game. There are just a little to many. I personally didn't like it because this lead to an annoying lack of combat and the ability to move on. I had no problem solving most of them and it is satisfying when you do but when you look back on it it seems like a waste of time. One every now and then is fine but they went a little overboard here. sometimes you'll end up stopping you vehicle every five minutes because of there. Speaking of the vehicles the sequences were pretty cool apart from what was mentioned in the previous sentence. Even though you will end up having to stop look around and find a path. this can be really annoying after a while especially when you are being chased by a chopper. The story was a bit disappointing at the end and was slow moving through out the game. But now for some good things. The game does a real good job of immersing you. You really feel like you want to help the people and have a pretty good idea of whats going on. The arsenal was a decent size and had some unique stuff in it. overall this game is worth picking up.… Expand
  29. J.J.
    Nov 17, 2004
    7
    Good game bad story.
  30. AnonymousMC
    May 11, 2006
    7
    The physics, graphics and audio are great, but the story and the gameplay is nowhere near the standards set by Half Life 1. The world is also nowhere near as wide, even though the previous environment was only a government facility, the city is a more restructive environment with less outside interaction. A disappointment as far as replayability.
  31. JustinF.
    May 16, 2006
    7
    Not bad - a little disappointed in the ending - I felt that there was another slice of tense action necessary to fulfill my needs. Also, a bit easy!
  32. NaitZ.
    Jun 18, 2006
    7
    Its a great game, but some stuff aint just exellent.. it should be more realistic, and the teamplay is bad, I see one problem about it, You always play alone in battles in singleplayer, theres never npcs to help you, its much funnier if you always can get support.
  33. vidman
    Oct 17, 2007
    7
    The most overrated game in existence. I give it a 7; everyone else gives it a 10. I bought this game off of Steam and encountered zero problems. I beat this game in 3 sessions. For the first 7 hours, I was pretty happy and couldn't wait for the story to unfold. Then next 5 hours was fast paced and still left me waiting for the story to unfold. It felt like I was only 1/3 to 1/2 way The most overrated game in existence. I give it a 7; everyone else gives it a 10. I bought this game off of Steam and encountered zero problems. I beat this game in 3 sessions. For the first 7 hours, I was pretty happy and couldn't wait for the story to unfold. Then next 5 hours was fast paced and still left me waiting for the story to unfold. It felt like I was only 1/3 to 1/2 way done with the game because so many questions were unanswered. Then finally, the last 3 hours of left me disappointed. It didn… Expand
  34. DaveK.
    Jun 1, 2007
    7
    Honestly, aside from the physics engine, it's nothing revolutionary. Grav gun is fun, but underutilized. The game progresses very linearly compared with some modern shooters like Far Cry, but is still a very entertaining experience. A solid followup to one of the top 5 games released at this point. A cliffhanger ending opens up for episodic content well. Of course, CSS makes this Honestly, aside from the physics engine, it's nothing revolutionary. Grav gun is fun, but underutilized. The game progresses very linearly compared with some modern shooters like Far Cry, but is still a very entertaining experience. A solid followup to one of the top 5 games released at this point. A cliffhanger ending opens up for episodic content well. Of course, CSS makes this worth buying 10x over.… Expand
  35. OliverM.
    Aug 3, 2007
    7
    im choosing to vote 7 for this, not so much the game, but the engine. Its worth buying the game and putting up with steam jsut to have access to the various mods that have been produced. On my try of the game (after a day installing, no joke, non broadband and various problems calling for reinstillation) i was amazed by the opening sequence in the train and shortly after the station and im choosing to vote 7 for this, not so much the game, but the engine. Its worth buying the game and putting up with steam jsut to have access to the various mods that have been produced. On my try of the game (after a day installing, no joke, non broadband and various problems calling for reinstillation) i was amazed by the opening sequence in the train and shortly after the station and city 17. I didnt want that bit to send, the city so lifelike, the cps bullying you, being able to peep into houses to see peoples gettin beaten up, people talking quietly about their supressors and various scanners looming the town. I carried on playing enjoying the long sojurn of the airboat, being different from the footsloggin before then. Ravenholm was impressive, the atmosphere created was nice, although over use of traps and the ability to get well and truly lost along with at one point a perminant spawning of zomibes. It was at this point where my family lost the internet... no internet, no steam, no halflife 2. So for a long time i went back to games like deus ex (deus ex being my favourite all time game). when my family got broadband i started playing hl2 again, finally realising how to get passed the respawning zombies n out of ravenholm. The mines wernt very impressive, they could have done better and the spinning blade cart at the end is... unusual to be round in a mine. The buggy part was fun being able to stop at place but antlion sandtraps wernt impressive, my pc isnt powerful, i get low fps and its hard for me to control various props, as such i noclipped passed the sandtraps. Nova prospekt fun until the point where over 50 troops attack you... the city 17 fighting was nice, i would have like dit if the citizens helped a lil more tho. The citadel at the end is stupidly easy, it seems more like a kiddys play gorund than a gran finale for such a game, being able to kill entire squads of combine elites in 1 shot isnt fun. Over all throughout the game some areas are lacking finishing touches, making them look bland and pointless (most of the blk mesa place) also throught the game you are constanly forced to comprehend wiht pointsless annoying and trivial physics puzzles, wat makes this worse is that most of them involve cinder blocks which have a habit of either a) sliding nicly off or b) knocking all the other cinder blocks then sliding off. so on my replays i often noclip past the various jumping and physics puzzles. The ai is somewhat dissapointing, from the reviews and teasers i was expecting npcs ot take cover, neil, grenade, supply covering fire and find alternate routes. For some scripted squences this does happen but youll often find in the way of self preservation and npc will stand still for a few seconds then either die of shift slightly sideways out of view, only to come bk into view to die, i mean shoot you. The city at the end was particularly nice, with the striders causing lot sof damage, it can be annoyign when you get lost in the rubble or cant find ammo crates to dispell the multiple striders on your tail. Some points are confusing wiht little differnce between them giving the impression of goign round in circles when really your on the opposite side of the building and while being fun the characters are far and few. I woudl have prefered to see more variation in the npcs behavior, more subplots woven in (like maybe jsut discovering a couple trying to escape), less physics puzzles, less steam and situatiosn where the character cna have an impact on the world instead of the same things happening everytime you play. Conclusion, amazing on first try, quickly looses freshness but some of the mods created are uttly superb (notably garrys mod and insurgency) its also worth triyng out counterstrike source. A warning to any who are interested tho you need constant inernet access better pc than mine and alot of pacience to put up with the evil steam. thnx 4 reading… Expand
  36. jamesr
    Dec 28, 2009
    7
    Its a good game, but not the best of all. I dont understand why that much people rate it with 10... A lot of games are better than this
  37. LysanderS
    Dec 2, 2009
    7
    I really don't understand what all the fuss is/was about, i mean it's a mediocre shooter, with a below average storyline. The only parts which stand out are the physics puzzles. It's probably worth your time, and like i said, the physics can be fun, but aside from that, it's just another FPS.
  38. HelpU
    Jul 19, 2009
    7
    I consider 7 to be average. I mean compared to the first half of half-life the puzzles and enemies of half-life 2 are laughable and unimaginative. The only good qualities of this game is that it has good graphics and sound but that is a flaw in trying to make a lasting impression because, in the future( I can't believe it either) graphics and sound will be better than this, thus, in I consider 7 to be average. I mean compared to the first half of half-life the puzzles and enemies of half-life 2 are laughable and unimaginative. The only good qualities of this game is that it has good graphics and sound but that is a flaw in trying to make a lasting impression because, in the future( I can't believe it either) graphics and sound will be better than this, thus, in essence, this game is no more than a technological demonstration because its not really that imaginative.… Expand
  39. MickT.
    Nov 18, 2004
    7
    Very good production quality but the story bites. i prefered halo 2 over this. now before all u halo haters come and beat me up i have one very simple explanation. i did not feel involved in the story as much as i have other titles( eg. zelda oot and halo) i appreciate the (mostly) good reviews on this site. as aposed to halo 2 where a million people gave it a hundred. deserved 98 at most.Very good production quality but the story bites. i prefered halo 2 over this. now before all u halo haters come and beat me up i have one very simple explanation. i did not feel involved in the story as much as i have other titles( eg. zelda oot and halo) i appreciate the (mostly) good reviews on this site. as aposed to halo 2 where a million people gave it a hundred. deserved 98 at most. i give this game 7/10.… Expand
  40. DanielC.
    Jan 14, 2005
    7
    A good game, although only just average to today's standards. The excellent physics engine and awesome pixel shader effects make this game a real treat to play, but the overly-scripted events, insufficient AI, and bad plot ruin the overall experience. Having been spoiled by Far Cry, Call of Duty, Doom 3 and other shooters I can only give this game a score of 7.
  41. TheMagicalHippieKiller
    Nov 29, 2006
    7
    It is very rare for a game to have a story that people actaully care about. But I kinda stopped caring after I entered City 17. Half-life! Kinda Crazy, a little Creepy (little), pretty inventive (it's great that people will state how much they hate the orginal, but how many games have since added its elements to their own. How many heros can you name with a super suit with shields?) It is very rare for a game to have a story that people actaully care about. But I kinda stopped caring after I entered City 17. Half-life! Kinda Crazy, a little Creepy (little), pretty inventive (it's great that people will state how much they hate the orginal, but how many games have since added its elements to their own. How many heros can you name with a super suit with shields?) The gameplay is ok, but I wasn't interested in being a lame knock-off of neo from the matrix in glasses, i wanted to shoot aliens. Instead, we get the stupid ai combine, who will run from a grenade and straight into your fire. The puzzles are also just them showing off their new physics and gravity gun. By the way, the gravity gun is stupid. There. I said it. Shotgun rules ( even though it was downgraded... actually, ALL the weapons were downgraded) because this game is not much differen than the original: run forward, solve puzzles, and you'll rarely fight in large arenas, just close quarters. The dialouge scenes are annoying and way to long. Other than that, good graphics and pretty gripping gameplay, save the lack of variation amongst the enemies. Wait! There is one more bad thing. Ravenholm=not scary and pointless. This level was just an excuse for the gravity gun, but a handy crowbar, shotgun, and .357 are actually the best weapons, at least for me. Hopefully they will be more creative in the future and stop trying to make another bad post-apocalpyse-revelution-thing that we've all seen 1,000 times over. The game is very intense at points. Really intense. Ever try fighting a helicopter with a pistol in a radiated canal? Well, life gets a helluva lot worse for Mr. Freeman later on, but for us, it's pretty damn fun. Keep making stuff like that.… Expand
  42. GarrettW.
    May 23, 2006
    7
    Awsome game, awsome story but playing it makes me nauseous just because it's very fast and with alot of movement.
  43. FilipO.
    Nov 24, 2007
    7
    Nothing special, really. Quite the disappointment actually. The puzzle were mediocre and the game itself was good - but not a masterpiece.
  44. EeroS.
    Jan 11, 2008
    7
    Good looking, but pooring fps. Better story than most of fps, but not so good that I could say that it was even medicore.
  45. PaulW
    Nov 16, 2008
    7
    How odd that people talk about being emotionally moved by a game that, whilst leaving you to your own defences like Metroid Prime in parts, doesn't have the moments of stunning beauty, accentuated by a beautiful score, such as when you walk into Phenandra Drifts. Half Life 2's best parts are Route Kanal and We don't go to Ravenholme which is a brilliant reminder of overall How odd that people talk about being emotionally moved by a game that, whilst leaving you to your own defences like Metroid Prime in parts, doesn't have the moments of stunning beauty, accentuated by a beautiful score, such as when you walk into Phenandra Drifts. Half Life 2's best parts are Route Kanal and We don't go to Ravenholme which is a brilliant reminder of overall better games with an almost surreal film noir feel (like Max Payne 2) crossed with the survival horror of Resident Evil and Silent Hill. To its credit, this game has more moments of bleak surrealness such as disengaging from a hovercraft, after a very lonely trek, only to find yourself in a camp of headcrabs. If the game had been marketed and regarded as a surreal masterpiece rather than as just one all about AI, physics or character expressions, records that it could only hope to keep for a short time (it never had the best character expressions- the Gamecube Resident Evil remake did by far) then I would have scored it a bit higher. Apart from the sections I have mentioned, the game's graphics never seemed impressive to me on the Xbox and seem relatively prehistoric now. The hyperbole about this game is ludicrous- I had much more fun and emotional investment in playing Metroid Prime, Resident Evil (the remake), and Uncharted- Drake's Fortune.… Expand
  46. RichK.
    Nov 17, 2004
    7
    As far as first person shooters go, it's certainly one of the best. But simply improving another idea (no matter how much) does not mean original. It's basically a better version of every other FPS. Quite an accomplishment but only to the FPS genre. Not to mention it'll cost you a few hundred bucks to upgrade your computer if you wanna run it.
  47. ChrisO.
    Dec 15, 2004
    7
    The game is good, but I don't think it's the second coming that everyone seems to think it is. The graphics are good, but inferior to Doom 3's and even FarCry's, level loading occurs way to often and takes way too long and pulls you out of the mood, Steam sucks badly, disappointing multiplayer (yay! more Counter Strike!!), no variety in enemies, too linear single The game is good, but I don't think it's the second coming that everyone seems to think it is. The graphics are good, but inferior to Doom 3's and even FarCry's, level loading occurs way to often and takes way too long and pulls you out of the mood, Steam sucks badly, disappointing multiplayer (yay! more Counter Strike!!), no variety in enemies, too linear single player component, and while the physics system is very, very nice, without the grav-gun, it'd be a non-issue. Good game, but I thought Id did better.… Expand
  48. DanM.
    Dec 21, 2004
    7
    Great game, some bugs, but Steam is really what killed my vote. If not for steam i'd give it a nine.
  49. JonahR.
    Nov 12, 2006
    7
    Great looking engine, but the single player is only fun once. The lack of co-op play, and a really poorly delivered story separate this game from the truly great games.
  50. robomartion
    Mar 5, 2023
    5
    I never realized it before, but replaying this venerated classic, beneath its advanced visuals for the time, the gameplay of Half-Life 2 is brutally repetitive and simplistic. The only way I could handle it was to rush through it as fast as humanly possible. It is fairly simple to explain why Valve does not release any new games that are worth their salt, it is a myth that they ever did inI never realized it before, but replaying this venerated classic, beneath its advanced visuals for the time, the gameplay of Half-Life 2 is brutally repetitive and simplistic. The only way I could handle it was to rush through it as fast as humanly possible. It is fairly simple to explain why Valve does not release any new games that are worth their salt, it is a myth that they ever did in the past.… Expand
  51. gameboy92
    Sep 29, 2018
    7
    For a game that came out at 2004 it have good graphics however the game play is not the best. you know what I mean the game control is not as good as you think it is lol however the story is interesting

    Story 9/10 Realistic 6/10 Graphic 7/10 Game play 6/10 Sound 8/10 --------------------- Total 7.2 Single player time max 12 houes Worth to buy this game with $ 9.99 ? yes but    For a game that came out at 2004 it have good graphics however the game play is not the best. you know what I mean the game control is not as good as you think it is lol however the story is interesting

    Story 9/10
    Realistic 6/10
    Graphic 7/10
    Game play 6/10
    Sound 8/10
    ---------------------
    Total 7.2

    Single player time max 12 houes
    Worth to buy this game with $ 9.99 ? yes but you can wait for bundles    … Expand
  52. SpechDech
    Dec 17, 2020
    7
    A great game when it was released I'm sure, but now 16 years later... Still a good game, the graphics hold up better than most 00s 3D games, and for its time its clear to see it was way ahead of its time on a visual and executional level, especially when it comes to characters and voice acting.

    But the shooting can get really tedious and mind numbing after a while, and the puzzles are    A great game when it was released I'm sure, but now 16 years later... Still a good game, the graphics hold up better than most 00s 3D games, and for its time its clear to see it was way ahead of its time on a visual and executional level, especially when it comes to characters and voice acting.

    But the shooting can get really tedious and mind numbing after a while, and the puzzles are not so well integrated with the rest of the game often hindering the experience.

    It does however have variation with vehicle levels, and some mechanics that change things up, its just that that there is too much mindless, mind numbing shooting.

    And i think its undeniable how iconic this game is.    … Expand
  53. REEDDLES
    Jul 19, 2019
    7
    Main evaluation criteria:
    -Story: 8
    -Atmosphere: 7 -Characters: 8 -Graphics and design: 8 -Gameplay: 7 -Sound and Music: 7 -Bugs: 9 -Interface: 9 -Completeness of the world: 7 -Balance (Multiplayer): 9 - Donates influence on the game (Pay to win): 10 Аdditional evaluation criteria (Do not really affect the assessment): -Freedom of choice: 0 -Coop in Story mode: 0 (only with    Main evaluation criteria:
    -Story: 8
    -Atmosphere: 7
    -Characters: 8
    -Graphics and design: 8
    -Gameplay: 7
    -Sound and Music: 7
    -Bugs: 9
    -Interface: 9
    -Completeness of the world: 7
    -Balance (Multiplayer): 9
    - Donates influence on the game (Pay to win): 10

    Аdditional evaluation criteria (Do not really affect the assessment):
    -Freedom of choice: 0
    -Coop in Story mode: 0 (only with mod)
    -Multiplayer: 8
    -Mods and the ability to change the game: 9

    Scores from 1 to 10, the higher the better    … Expand
  54. Moonman95
    Jun 12, 2019
    6
    What should have been an amazing sequel to a perfect game turns out to be a lackluster shell of it's former self. The biggest thing they neutered was the story and gameplay, let's go over the story first. HL2 and HL1 cannot and I repeat, cannot exist in the same universe, there is a very major plothole that makes for these 2 games to be impossible to exist in the same universe. In a scriptWhat should have been an amazing sequel to a perfect game turns out to be a lackluster shell of it's former self. The biggest thing they neutered was the story and gameplay, let's go over the story first. HL2 and HL1 cannot and I repeat, cannot exist in the same universe, there is a very major plothole that makes for these 2 games to be impossible to exist in the same universe. In a script for HL1, the G-man was referred to as "The Administrator" and was very heavily implied to be running Black Mesa throughout your encounters with him. But in HL2, Dr. Breen is actually the administrator of Black Mesa. Another thing is that none of the characters in HL2 have been in Black Mesa, as the NPCs in HL1 are completely nameless, and judging off skin color alone to think "Oh this guy's Kleiner" or "This guy's Eli" isn't a very good argument. it is also never explained how the Combine invaded the earth, and what happened during that time. This is never explained in game. But what if I told you it would have been explained completely in detail, and it would have made sense within the HL canon? The HL2 cut beta featured a completely different storyline, with no Dr Breen, and no retcons of any kind, it is unknown as to why Valve scrapped the entire thing, considering they were really late into development with it, the actual retail HL2 took 6-8 months to make max. The gameplay has been reduced to a hallway simulator, with wimpy weapons and brain dead enemies. Another thing they added which nobody asked for is physics based combat, it really does not play to the game's advantage, as it doesn't have the raw strength and sound to give off the feel that you're all powerful, a small wooden door and a big ass metal crate make the exact same sound, and all weigh the same, it doesn't even matter, they all deal the same damage. The gravity gun is fun for the first time until you realize it instakills nearly all enemies with a single throw and it completely negates all difficulty you could have. Now onto an even bigger fault with the story, Alyx Vance is the most overpowered Mary Sue character in video game history, she always gets out unscathed, always overcomes anything in her path with no struggle, and she can never die. Even Kleiner was supposed to die in the original plot, but I guess you can't have death in a Half-Life game, oh wait. Overall, what this all boils down to is a lackluster attempt at milking more money from a franchise with a promising start.… Expand
  55. defenz
    Aug 8, 2021
    6
    ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
  56. KolesAdlerov
    Sep 14, 2022
    7
    Stereotypes about the "masterpiece" of HL2 (2004, not a modern one), like a litmus test, showed how poorly the average user thinks and how easy it is to make "everyone recognized 10/10" out of nothing. This is a half-baked sandbox with a lot of lazy conventions, huge empty spaces (often without a sane background) and COMPLETELY disabled enemy AI on cheap scripts. Also, Helicopter BossesStereotypes about the "masterpiece" of HL2 (2004, not a modern one), like a litmus test, showed how poorly the average user thinks and how easy it is to make "everyone recognized 10/10" out of nothing. This is a half-baked sandbox with a lot of lazy conventions, huge empty spaces (often without a sane background) and COMPLETELY disabled enemy AI on cheap scripts. Also, Helicopter Bosses with infinite mines, oppressive one-hole gameplay in vehicle missions and hordes of useless friendly NPCs from the CallOfDuty circus.

    * Manhack drones in collectors ARE EXTREMELY GOOD. Headcrab Shells on civilians ARE dramatically GOOD. The tunnels before the Citadel don't look too bad, to be honest (better - in Episode One).

    Physics - just a HAVOK-engine with issues when three bricks balance the protagonist on a swing. Puzzles are squalid in most.
    Graphics - good water, but FarCry1 is already there; not bad flames, but Unreal2 is already there; poor empty landscapes; awkward architecture with cheap textures; bad models and body-textures except for 2-3 faces; bad animations except for 2-3 faces.
    Story - the plot is not revealed, means "mocking_disregard"; characters are flat; feigned dialogues are just disgusting. First part of walkthrogh is boring, second part is more sickening than CallOfDuty. Look, out of a 5h30mins walktrough in total - 35mins of Airboat-mission, 35mins of Buggy-mission (and the Bridge), only 20mins of Ravenholm, 35mins of Prison_CoD_bullsh!t, 1h15mins of Urban_CoD_bullsh!t and 25mins of Citadel.

    Gameplay:
    combat mechanics [**] 7/10
    combat logic [scripts out of logic + the Gravity Gun nonsense] 4/10
    atmosphere (Ravenholm and Citadel only) 7/10

    Story [*] 7/10

    Graphics [*] 9/10

    Sounds & music [good standalone music, but stupid annoying sounds and warnings] 8/10

    .
    If you want real HALF-LIFE in the 21st century, just play Black Mesa.    … Expand
  57. farrrullll
    Jan 27, 2023
    7
    A masterpiece of its time.
    But right now, the game is terrible, for many reasons. Going through the game repeatedly, my surprise was replaced by anger and irritation from various things. Source engine
    it is also a feature of the game (advanced physics, cool graphics) but also its minus, empty unrealistic characters, liminal unrealistic closed spaces and so on. Dropped the game somewhere    A masterpiece of its time.
    But right now, the game is terrible, for many reasons. Going through the game repeatedly, my surprise was replaced by anger and irritation from various things. Source engine
    it is also a feature of the game (advanced physics, cool graphics) but also its minus, empty unrealistic characters, liminal unrealistic closed spaces and so on.
    Dropped the game somewhere near the finale, where there was a room with turrets. And to my own regret, I'm unlikely to ever finish the game, it's too outdated.    … Expand
  58. OREH_MW
    Feb 10, 2023
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ну нормально, нормально. Ну по-сути нормально, ну крч, ну как...
    Ну нормально    … Expand
  59. OpticalFred
    Mar 28, 2023
    7
    Amazing game for the time but for today standard a good game.

    The mission are sometimes too long and gets repetitive, the story is kinda just ''see us at this place.'' ''Oh no we need to see us at this new place!'' and the shooting feel sometime old
  60. Hydra5819
    Apr 5, 2023
    5
    half life 2 is a game that has shaped the history of the game. It is a great game with great graphics, gameplay and details according to its period. The absence of dialogue of our main character gordon puts you in the place of the main character. The game does not give you the task given to you or what to do, dialogue and small help It gives you a freedom by giving it with. I can't passhalf life 2 is a game that has shaped the history of the game. It is a great game with great graphics, gameplay and details according to its period. The absence of dialogue of our main character gordon puts you in the place of the main character. The game does not give you the task given to you or what to do, dialogue and small help It gives you a freedom by giving it with. I can't pass without mentioning the map and the design.… Expand
  61. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    7
    A super fun adventure with a ton of unique physics-based weapons that are fun to use, and regular guns that are weightless. The campaign is long and memorable, but ultimately the combat mechanics outstay their welcome. If not for the gravity gun the game would be solidly mediocre.
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PC Game of 2004
1
#1 Most Discussed PC Game of 2004
1
#1 Most Shared PC Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 81 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 81 out of 81
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 81
  3. Negative: 0 out of 81
  1. CPUGamer
    100
    Nothing less than a revolution in the gaming industry that will keep gamers busy for years to come, just as the original did.
    Read full review
  2. Play.tm
    95
    An ephemeral and controversial ending, along with the few issues described above, means that for me, Half-Life 2, while a compelling and highly enjoyable game, falls short of the size of impact that the first title had on the gaming world.
    Read full review
  3. Playboy
    100
    A graphics overhaul delivers detailed facial animations and sophisticated physics that leave battle zones strewn with debris after intense shootouts with shuffling corpses, overfed curstaceans and other assorted foes. [October, p.37]
See all critic reviews »